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Brett Wheelan joked with his colleagues prior to the season that Waterloo West had an advantage over the Class 3-A field after the Wahawks failed to qualify any wrestlers for the state meet a year ago.

While everyone else packed and prepped for the state meet, the Wahawks lifted and ran and got started on offseason training.

"(Marcus) Harrington called me (the night after districts) after I told them to take a week off and wondered what time I'd be in the weight room (the next day)," Wheelan said. "I told him I'd be in at 6, and there were five guys waiting for me." ...